Metrics
IRIS

Addition to the IRIS methodology ... from the Land Conservation Metrics Working Group ... June 2013

Burgess COMMENTARY

Peter Burgess

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The IRIS initiative together with the David & Lucile Packard Foundation and Manta Consulting co-convened a working group with land conservation practitioners, land conservation investment managers, impact investors, and field experts that identified a set of metrics relevant to land conservation investors.

Indicate the primary characteristics of hectares directly controlled or hectares indirectly controlled that are desirable to maintain or enhance through protection, restoration, or sustainable stewardship. (Select all that apply):

Ecology and Habitat - Wilderness, or wilderness-quality lands (biologically/ecologically intact ecosystems, free of significant human intervention) - Significant biodiversity - Critical habitat for endangered or vulnerable species - Wildlife habitat - Land with shared boundaries to existing protected land, to increase conservation assemblage or create buffer areas

Public / Human Use - Park, land for community recreation, and access to public lands - Natural or cultural features of outstanding/unique value, because of rarity, representativeness, aesthetic qualities or cultural significance (e.g. waterfalls, distinct scenic landscapes, geological features, cave dwellings, natural pilgrimage sites) - Open space - Working lands, specifically land for traditional activities related to the sustainable use of natural resources, including agriculture, timber, and ranching - Scientific value (research reserves, field stations, etc.)

Ecosystem Services - Land that provides basic ecosystem services in critical situations (e.g., watershed function, flood control) - Land providing other ecosystem services (regulating values/services, supporting values/services, provisioning values/services, and/or cultural values/services).

Footnote specific descriptions to accompany selections (e.g. list the relevant endangered or vulnerable species). List, if any, third-party entity identified the conservation priority of the land (e.g., local community, inter-governmental entity, nonprofit, government) and the priority level. If available, cite published plans or other documentation that identifies the land is a conservation priority.

Report in conjunction with: Protected Land Area (PI4716*), Sustainably Managed Land Area - Direct (OI6912), Sustainably Managed Land Area – Indirect (PI6796), Ecosystem Services (PD8494*), Protected Land Adjacency (PI2135*), Protected Land Assemblage Total Area (PI5750*)

The land type(s) present on hectares directly controlled or hectares indirectly controlled by the organization. Report for hectares controlled at any point during the reporting period. (Select all that apply):

- Urban/Built-up Land - Agricultural Land - Rangeland - Forest Land - Water Areas - Wetland - Barren Land - Tundra - Perennial Snow or Ice

Note: Options above are based on the Anderson Classification System (ACS) for land use and land cover.

Report in conjunction with: Land Area - Indirectly Controlled (PI3789), Land Area - Directly Controlled (OI5408)

Surface area in hectares of freshwater bodies present during the reporting period on protected land, land under sustainable stewardship, or land under sustainable cultivation.

Report in conjunction with: Sustainably Managed Land Area - Direct (OI6912),Sustainably Managed Land Area – Indirect (PI6796), Protected Land Area (PI4716*)

Length of freshwater streams present during the reporting period on protected land, land under sustainable stewardship, or land under sustainable cultivation.

Report in conjunction with: Sustainably Managed Land Area - Direct (OI6912),Sustainably Managed Land Area – Indirect (PI6796), Protected Land Area (PI4716*)

Length of marine or freshwater coastline present during the reporting period on protected land, land under sustainable stewardship, or land under sustainable cultivation.

Report in conjunction with: Sustainably Managed Land Area - Direct (OI6912), Sustainably Managed Land Area – Indirect (PI6796), Protected Land Area (PI4716*)

Number of hectares transitioned to a status of protected land during the reporting period. Protection may be permanent or non-permanent. Hectares may be transitioned as a result of new legal encumbrances placed on the land or transfer of ownership to a qualified conservation organization.

Footnote the specific mechanism used to ensure protection (e.g. legal encumbrances placed on land), whether permanent or non-permanent with duration if non-permanent). Footnote the type of entity that will own the land under conservation status or the entity that owns the easement (e.g. type of organization that owns the protected status of the land).

Number of hectares transitioned to a status of permanently protected land during the reporting period. The transition to a state of permanent protection will be the result of new legal encumbrances placed on the land or transfer of ownership to a qualified conservation organization.

Footnote the specific mechanism used to ensure protection (e.g. legal encumbrances placed on land). If relevant, specify the qualified conservation organization that will own the land under permanent conservation status (e.g. type of organization that owns the protected status of the land).

Hectares directly controlled by the organization under sustainable cultivation or sustainable stewardship. Report directly-controlled hectares sustainably managed at any point in the reporting period.

Hectares indirectly controlled by the organization under sustainable cultivation or sustainable stewardship. Report indirectly-controlled hectares sustainably managed at any point in the reporting period.

Hectares under ecological restoration management during the reporting period. Include both hectares directly controlled and hectares indirectly controlled by the organization.

Footnote relevant ecological restoration activities undertaken during the reporting period.

Report in conjunction with: Land Area - Indirectly Controlled (PI3789), Land Area - Directly Controlled (OI5408)

Length of freshwater streams under ecological restoration management on protected land, land under sustainable stewardship, or land under sustainable cultivation during the reporting period.

Length of marine or freshwater coastline under ecological restoration management on protected land, land under sustainable stewardship, or land under sustainable cultivation during the reporting period.

Total kilometers of protected land boundary shared with other protected land as of the end of the reporting period. The reporting organization should report kilometers of boundary that protected land on hectares directly controlled or hectares indirectly controlled shared with other protected land not controlled by the reporting organization.

This is intended to capture the boundary of protected lands which are immediately adjacent to already-protected land parcels, thus compounding the total amount of protected land.'

Total number of hectares of contiguous protected land areas, as of the end of the reporting period. This should include hectares controlled by other entities as long as they form a contiguous assemblage with the protected land on hectares directly controlled or hectares indirectly controlled by the reporting organization.

The ecosystem services provided by land during the reporting period. Report for hectares directly controlled or hectares indirectly controlled during the reporting period. (Select all that apply):

Provisioning Values/Services - Food - Biological raw materials - Biomass fuel - Freshwater - Genetic resources - Biochemicals, natural medicines, pharmaceuticals

Regulating Values/Services - Maintenance of air quality - Regulation of climate - Regulation of water timing and flows - Erosion control - Water purification and waste treatment - Disease mitigation - Maintenance of soil quality - Pest mitigation - Pollination - Natural hazard mitigation

Supporting Values/Services - Habitat - Nutrient cycling - Primary production - Water cycling

Cultural Values/Services - Recreation and ecotourism - Ethical and spiritual values - Educational and inspirational values

Source: World Resources Institute (WRI).

Footnote explaining how land provides the selected ecosystem services. Footnote any external validation or verification that has been conducted to demonstrate the provision of the ecosystem services, including which services were covered, the date, and the entity providing verification/validation (e.g. university researcher, consultant, ecosystem service bank).

Report in conjunction with: Protected Land Area (PI4716*), Protected Land Area: Permanent (PI3924*), Sustainably Managed Land Area - Direct (OI6912), Sustainably Managed Land Area – Indirect (PI6796), Land Area - Indirectly Controlled (PI3789), Land Area - Directly Controlled (OI5408)

Revenue generated by enterprises operating on hectares indirectly controlled by the organization that are under sustainable stewardship. Report revenue generated by the enterprises during the reporting period.

Note: This is intended to cover the revenue of enterprises deriving revenue from the land, such as a sustainable ranching company leasing access to the land, as opposed to enterprises that provide services to maintain the land, such as a pest control company.

Report in conjunction with Sustainably Managed Land Area – Indirect (PI6796).

For organizations earning revenue through sustainable economic activity on hectares directly controlled, report Earned Revenue (FP5958) and Sustainably Managed Land Area - Direct (OI6912)

Number of full-time equivalent jobs at directly supported enterprises. Report number as of the time when the reporting entity began its support. Include self-employed individuals and business owners in calculation.

For reporting organizations providing financing support (e.g. banks), this should be the total number of jobs as of the time of first investment.

For reporting organizations that indirectly control land and support other organizations by allowing them to sustainably operate them as working lands, this is the number of jobs as of the time that the reporting entity became the landowner and/or the supported organization began operating on the land. Note that supported enterprises refers to those the of enterprises deriving revenue from the land, such as a sustainable ranching company leasing access to the land, as opposed to enterprises that provide services to maintain the land, such as a pest control company.

Net number of new full-time equivalent jobs at directly supported enterprises, as of the end of the reporting period and since beginning of support by the reporting entity. Include self-employed individuals and business owners in calculation.

For reporting organizations providing financing support, this should be the total number of jobs created across the outstanding investment portfolio and since time of investment. (This number will be negative if a financed enterprise has fewer employees than at the time of first investment.)

For reporting organizations that indirectly control land and support other organizations by allowing them to sustainably operate them as working lands, this is the number of jobs created since the reporting entity became the land owner. Note that supported enterprises refers to the of enterprises deriving revenue from the land, such as a sustainable ranching company leasing access to the land, as opposed to enterprises that provide services to maintain the land, such as a pest control company.

Indicate the third-party certifications held by the organization that are related to its business processes and practices and that are valid as of the end of the reporting period.

Note: Separately report product-level certifications, using Certifications (PD2765).

Indicate the third-party certifications for products/services that are valid as of the end of the reporting period. List certification name, certifying body, and date since which the product/service has been continuously certified.